Sailing Home
by Rasperry
Summary: [I lost the password to my old account so this is a revamp and redo of an old story] What does it mean to be a family? When two parts of it had none? What does it mean to be whole when everyone is shattered pieces that won't fit with someone? Where is home in this sea of chaos filled with broken ends?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Life is like a tornado, spiraling out of control. The winds willing to tear you apart if you aren't too careful. Winds willing to slice you in half, mercilessly and coldly. What can you even do to change it? In the end, you have two choices. Either allow yourself to be pulled apart by the wind or you can push through it, let the winds shape and change you but not let them overtake you. You could let the pain define you or you could move past it. Or you can make your own option and break free.

Yuri Lowell had seen the tornado of life. Truthfully he had lived through it. Lived through twisted system that made him the man he was today. From one family to another, nothing ever his own. Like his life was spiraling out of control, like he was being pulled apart. It wasn't until he was 17 that something happened, someone who put his life on the right track. The storm turned to a powerful wind pushing him forwards. For that he was thankful, happy to have met the person who kept him from turning down the wrong path. But that had been so long ago.

His grey eyes gazed out the window, watching the people move about the street. Children holding cones of ice creams, smiling happily as the held on of their parent's hands. Even with the air conditioning on and the fan blowing in his face, he could feel the heat of the sun through the clear glass. Today was warm, hot even, and he wasn't a big fan of it.

A soft whine echoed across the living room of the small two bedroom apartment, drawing the only human in the house to turn towards the hallway. Down that hallway were the two bedrooms and the small bathroom. Their apartment wasn't large, it was on the rather small side. But with Flynn in college and Yuri being the only one with a true job, they didn't have much choice.

The dark haired male looked over to see Repede, his faithful canine companion, watching him as he padded into the room. Yuri assumed he had just woken up from his nap in his roommate's bedroom. A chuckle left his lips. Oh how his blond roommate was going to have a cow when he returned in the afternoon to find blue and gray dog hair spread across his bed like leaves in the late fall. A single green eye watched him before a yawn left the dog's mouth and he jumped onto the couch.

Eyes flicked to the door as it opened and the blond student stepped inside, dropping off his book bag to the side and sitting on the couch near Repede. Blue eyes met gray as Yuri pulled away from his perch to head to the kitchen. The kitchen, dinning room and living room were all in one open space, something Yuri certainly enjoyed. He could talk to Flynn as he cooked and see the TV while he did so.

Preparing his roommate as small dish of ice cream, he simply smiled as he thought of what they should do today. It was a bit on the hot side. Maybe a nice walk in the nearby park would do them both good, and it killed two birds with one stone. He could walk Repede, get Flynn to take a break from studying and doing school work.

With ice cream in hand, he sat the dish down on the coffee table. Their eyes met before he spoke. "Wanna go for a walk in the park?" Flynn looked away briefly as he lifted up the bowl of ice cream. Yuri took this opportunity to sit down upon the couch and pet the dog to his side, a smile gracing his face as he ran his hand over the canine's soft pelt.

Repede's ears perked at this as he rose his head and looked to face his owner, green eye watching with interest and anticipation. His tail swished slightly as he listened, turning his gaze over to Flynn who was holding his chin in thought before eating a spoonful of ice cream.

The blonde male would rather have simply just spend the day studying and nothing else, but he also could see the pleading look in the canine's eyes. Reluctantly, he gave in. It was not as if they would be spending the entire day walking around the park. It'd be only be an hour or two and then he could get to work on his assignments.

Leaning back, the man took another bite of his ice cream. "As long as you leave me alone afterwards then I'll go." It wasn't as if anything was going to happen in the end anyways.

.

The park was surprisingly crowded despite the heat. Yuri assumed that the presence of the lake, though small and more of an oversized pond, is what drew people there. A few stands were on the side, taking advantage on the crowd to make money. Nothing looked all to appetizing, the heat killing most of his appetite.

There were trees and paths for walking, a few playgrounds for children to play at and of course the lake. Most people were bunching around the lake with a few joggers running down the paths. The two simply went down a more secluded path that went into the woods a bit before pouring out back into the park. It offered shade from the many nearby trees. But it was still too hot.

Repede however seemed to be enjoying himself as he wagged his tail happily. At least one one them was enjoying the walk. Flynn was using his book to fan himself off as he looked about the area. His hand froze and his eyes narrowed into slits as he marched over to a tree. That's when Yuri noticed it too. A small child playing in the tree. Something against the park rules. Go figure Flynn would start chastising a child for playing in a tree.

There up amongst the bright green was a small blonde girl. She looked no older than five, her dress hung from her bony and pale shoulders as she looked down at them. Her face was round, full of youth and innocence. Blonde hair, blue eyes, a round face, almost like Flynn when he was a child. Though the baby fat was now gone and replaced with muscles.

Yuri couldn't help it. He leaned over to Flynn. "So when were you going to tell me you secretly had a daughter?" he teased. Flynn's face turned red as he punched his roommate in the arm. Not that he had thrown his punch hard enough to cause pain or bruising, none the less, Yuri rubbed his arm anyways and chuckled.

Turning away from Yuri, the man looked back up at the tree and the child sitting on the thick branch of the tree. Her blue eyes were hidden by the leaves slightly as she swung her legs idly, ragged sneakers on her feet. They were big on her, obvious by how the shoes slid as she moved.

She was either from a poor family or a runaway. It wasn't too hard to buy a pair of children's shoes, even a cheap pair of sandals would work. There was also the possibility she wore ragged shoes because her parents figured she tear up a nicer pair while playing.

Repede padded up behind them and sat down, barking at the girl only once before him. His tail was raised high as he wagged it, watching the child. Normally when a dog the size of Repede barked at a child that didn't know him, the would tense up or freeze. The child in the tree simple giggled in response.

"You should get out of the tree before you fall and hurt yourself! It is also against park policies to climb trees." the student chastised, hand crossed over his chest as he gave the girl a repriming look. And yet again she giggled in response, swinging her legs a bit faster as she sat straddled on the branch. Her braid falling in a slight rhythmic motion as she did so.

Moving her leg over to the other side, she simply dropped down. There was a hint of grace in her movements as she landed and stood straight back up and smiled. Smiled like she just hadn't been called out for breaking rules. There was a glint, bright and it seemed to belong in those sea blue eyes. Mischief.

"Awww, you're no fun, Mister~ You should loosen up and live a little, nano ja~ Or you'll get wrinkles," she teased, her smile more of a cat like grin now. Yuri tilted his head away to hide the smirk on his face, she wasn't wrong.

But just who was this girl?


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Patty was never the type of person that easily accepted the help of others. She preferred working solo and on her own. But even she had to admit, that sometimes it was extremely lonely working on her own. So when she ran away from yet another foster home, she never expected what happened next. No matter how many years passed, she could clearly remember the event, and she would treasure that memory. A memory she would keep close to her heart.

It was a rather hot day, way above the normal average for the region. The runaway's blue eyes watched the families around her as she hid from the beating sun. From her perch in the tree, she could see the happy faces and hear the cheerful laughter of children around her age. As her eyes wandered over the park filled with people, she couldn't help but note the food that surrounded her. How she longed to sink her teeth in some tasty Oden.

A growl erupted from her stomach as she sat there, straddling the branch, drool pooling in her mouth as she thought of her most favorite food in the world. The child pulled out her wallet to see if she had enough to even afford. A sigh left her lips as she saw nothing but some mint and a pair of purple ribbons. Tucking the wallet, the girl frowned and continued watching.

She had been making a little camp up in the three, using her coat as something to lay on and her scarf to keep herself in the tree at night. But in the tree she would less likely to be seen then if she slept on a bench. If she got caught, she'd end up right back in foster care.

The surrounding leaves danced in the warm summer air, making a low whistling noise. Beams of sunlight leaked through the green rough of the small perch. A squirrel chattered on a nearby branch. Its tawny eyes glued on the small girl that sat in the tree. The squirrel wasn't the only one that had taken note of the strange child in the tree so far above the ground.

"You should get out of the tree before you fall and hurt yourself! It is also against park policies to climb trees." a voice called out from below, followed by an annoyed sigh. Patty looked down to see two men standing below the tree. One was dressed in a nice dress shirt and black slacks, his hair was blond and his eyes were blue, a bit of green mixed in as well but blue was most dominant. He had a stern look on his face.

The other man had long black hair, purple under the sun, that was pulled back into a ponytail. His dark eyes were sharp as a steel sword and just as cold. The man looked far more casual than the other man, dressed in a plain T-Shirt and Shorts. He looked rather annoyed by the blond haired male but in a not angered way. Like he was used to it and found it funny annoyed.

Off to his side was a dog, blue and gray. A scar ran down his face and over a closed eye as he looked up at her. Despite his bark, she could tell he meant her no harm, almost as if he was simply agreeing with his owner's words. She giggled slightly, she wanted nothing more than to pet the dog's head.

Patty hummed silently in thought before she slid her leg over the branch to rest beside the other leg. Resting her palms on the branch, she gave it a small push, forcing herself off and to the ground below, arms outstretched as she did so before moving them behind her back when she landed.

"Awww, you're no fun, Mister~ You should loosen up and live a little, nano ja~ Or you'll get wrinkles." Her eyes slid shut and her lips curled upwards into a smile.

The blonde male before her face contorted with worry as he moved closer to the girl, blue eyes studying her carefully. His companion, the dark haired male, only sighed and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Are you alright? You didn't hurt yourself from that jump?" the blond inquired worriedly. His friend shook his head before kneeling down to the girl's level. His dark eyes softened slightly as he calmly spoke to her. It seemed he was more able to handle children then he appeared.

"Can you tell us where your parents are?" the male asked her, a small smile on his face. The child looked up at him, her eyes betrayed no emotion what so ever. Like a sea, you could only see so far past the surface before it swallowed you up.

Without even batting an eye, the child smiled. Her eyes slid shut as she moved forwards slightly, her hands clasped behind her back as she walked. She twirled slightly to face them. Her carefree demeanor never faltered as she spoke.

"Don't have any. Don't need any, nano ja~" Her words were blunt and seemingly emotionless. Like she didn't care she was an orphan. That she didn't have any parents.

Yuri felt Flynn flinch beside him. The girl was just another orphan that wandered the streets with no place to call home. There were too many orphans in this world for Yuri's liking. It wasn't fair for a child to grow up without a parent. The man stood to his feet and walked to the girl.

There was something off about her. She seemed far too happy, like her family's death meant nothing to her. Had she been too young to remember them, another orphan of the war? No, she looked five at tops. Maybe she had she simply grown numb to it all like a friend of his? Whatever the case, her chirpy demeanor was unsettling.

"I'm Yuri Lowell. How about we get you something to eat?"

The girl's eyes lit up as if a million Noctiluca scintillans had begun to glow in her eyes. "I'm Patty~! Patty Fleur, nano ja!" Her smile was as wide as the sea and as warm as the sun as she followed Yuri to a nearby stand. Flynn followed behind, a smile on his face as he watched the small girl happily walk beside his best friend.

Flynn had always noted that Yuri, despite not being too fond of them, was very good with children. But the girl had also warmed up to him really quickly, which wasn't the best thing. She knew neither of them, yet accepted food. It was odd and unlike most children he had met. Something about this child was different than all the other ones he had met thus far.

He sighed, kneeling down and placing his hand on Repede's head before smiling. "Yuri would make a great teacher if he actually picked up a book, wouldn't you say?" The dog barked in response before padding past him and towards the two.

A wet nose butted against the girl's wrist before she turned to face the canine, her smile growing even bigger as she petted his head gently. Repede's tail moved lazily before he sniffed her small hand before licking it, seemingly accepting her. It looked normal. A little girl playing with a dog while the dog's owner watched and gave her food. Like an uncle or older brother.

"I guess I won't be studying today."


	3. Chapter 3

The park's population trickled down to only a few people along with the light of the sun. Stars started to appear in the sky, glistening beside the half-lit moon. The streetlights flicked on, lighting up the streets, bringing life to the night time. But those same lights dimmed out the stars.

Cicadas chirped in the park loudly as the fireflies danced in the air like moving stars on the earth. But none of them equaled the brightest star in the sky. Yuri smiled as he thought of the pink haired girl that had taught him the name of that star. Vesperia.

The three misfits sat under the stars. Yuri eyes trained on the two beside him, watching and studying them carefully. Flynn looked over at him, holding his gaze before looking down at the small child below them that only looked upwards.

"Miss Patty, where have you been staying?" Flynn asked, breaking the peaceful melody of the summer life around them. The child tore her gaze from the sky and towards the older blonde.

She gave him a mischievous grin, placing her hands on her hips. Her eyes glinted with mischief. "A free spirit like me can't be held by the walls of a home," she replied in a cryptic manner. Her blue eyes pierced Flynn's, they looked old and wise. It looked peculiar on the youthful face Patty owned.

"Surely you must be staying somewhere," Flynn insisted. The law student wondered if the child lived on the streets like a few others he knew. Though the girl didn't look like she was a street urchin. Her hair was long and well kept, her face round, and she didn't look starved. She was a bit boney, her clothes were a bit dirty and worn, and she was extremely small for her supposed age. She had to have had a place to stay.

Yuri looked down at the child, wondering what her story was, but knew better than to ask. Was she like him, not knowing what a real family was like? Or was she like Flynn, who knew the love of a mother and father only to have it torn away?

"Aye, nano ja. I ran away," she stated bluntly as if she had done so a million times before and it wasn't something that should bring up alarm.

Flynn's eyes widened. His 'knight mode', as Yuri called it, kicked in as he sternly looked at the child, dropping a bombshell of questions. He at least would make a good investigator with how he dug around for answers. She looked at him, her face showed her disinserted feelings towards his questions.

The blonde child stood to her feet, dusting the grass off of her dress. The loose blades of green fell to the ground below. Her braids fell by her side, dancing in the soft wind that blew. She looked ahead a bit, eyes moving to the tree the had found her in earlier. Repede climbed to his feet.

"Well this young maiden has to get her beauty sleep, nano ja~" she chirped happily, a bright smile on her face as she turned to leave. Flynn's hand wrapped around her wrist halting her escape. There was also a soft growl as the dog bit down upon her dress. She was trapped.

A sigh left Yuri's lips as he stood to his feet. There was no stopping him once he started with his 'knight' crap. Yuri shook his head, a small smile painting his face. As annoying as Knight Flynn could be, Yuri couldn't help but love him. Even if the man was a major dork and stubborn asshole.

"It's dangerous for a child such as yourself to be wandering the streets this late at night. I insist that you at least allow us to drive you home," Flynn spoke. The girl looked at him. There was a seriousness in her eyes with the way they seemingly darkened and her brow furrowed ever so slightly.

"Then drive into the sea, nano ja."

Flynn blinked slightly at her reply, taken aback by her words. It wasn't every day a child told you to drive into the sea. Yuri only chuckled slightly, knowing the girl was only joking but also felt her words held a double meaning to them. The blond student sent a glare at his roommate, only causing the chuckle to transform into an actual laugh. A blush crept on Flynn's face as Yuri continued to laugh, causing the child to giggle slightly at her own twisted joke.

"Yuri! This isn't funny!" Flynn yelled, his blush growing brighter. "Miss Patty, please be serious!" At his words, the girl ceased her giggles turned into a silence and she nodded her head.

"Aye-Aye. I lived in a foster home, nano ja. But I ran away because there were too many rules to follow," she stated frankly, repeating on how she had run away. "I'm not going back." Her tone head finality. She did not want to go back, nothing could change that. She had conviction beyond her size.

Finally, over his laughter, Yuri spoke up. "How about we let her stay the night and take her home tomorrow?" Flynn turned to face the man to his side before his face twisted in slight rage. How could Yuri just offer up their home like that, did he not stop to think of the consequences of his actions for once?

"Yuri, this is a child! You can't just take one home like a stray cat!" Flynn shouted, startling an owl into flight. Yuri just ignored him and kneeled down to the child's level.

"How does that sound?" he asked. Patty looked up at him, her eyes searching his for any form of danger. A sign that this would be a bad thing to agree too.

"If you don't mind," she responded calmly. Yuri smiled slightly before turning around to face the exit of the park. Though the girl was weary of this man, but part of her felt she could trust him. She was a child after all.

"Yuri, you can't be serious!? This could be seen as kidnapping!" Flynn chastised angrily. Yuri shrugged before holding his hand out to the child. Patty looked at his hand before pointing to the tree and running to it. They both stopped and watched as she grabbed something from the greenery before returning, a winter coat and scarf in hand. There was a smile on her chubby cheeks.

"Ready when you are, nano ja! It'd be nice to not sleep in a tree tonight~" she chirped happily. This girl seemed to lack a certain amount of tact to her words, saying whatever came to mind. Yuri just shook his head and sighed, seeing no point in sticking on the subject of tree sleeping.

"Okay, Patty. You can ride shotgun, Mr. Stiff can ride in the back," he cracked. Patty inclined her head and took his hand. Yuri smiled as he tugged the girl forwards, leaving behind the angered Flynn.

.

The small child slept peacefully on their couch as the two men sat at the kitchen table, whispering to each other. Her tattered coat rested on the coat rack by the door along with her scarf, a simple throw blanket was draped across her body to keep her a bit warm while the air conditioner pushed out crisp cold air into the room. Repede stood vigilantly by the couch as he watched the child with curiosity as the two lowly argued back and forth, trying to remain quiet enough not to wake the sleeping girl. Despite how at some point or the other, one would raise their voice, loud enough to stir the young girl, she remained asleep.

Yuri sent his gaze to the child then back to Flynn, determined not to lose this argument to the blond haired man. If there was one thing Yuri hated, it was Flynn's bullheadedness. Not that he was one to talk. The two were both equal on that front. Both far too stubborn but neither admitting it,

"Yuri, you can't expect her foster parents not to be worried about her," Flynn whispered, looking over at the girl from the corner of his eye. Despite her bluntness, she was a friendly and cheerful girl. It'd be hard to imagine her foster family not worrying about her well being. Especially with how easily she trusted strangers.

"The way she makes it sound, this isn't the first time she's run away. By the way she ate, she hadn't had something in a while," Yuri stated calmly. 'Not everyone in this world looks after an orphan just to give them love.'

"You think that she ran away because she was being mistreated." It wasn't a question, but an observation. Flynn sighed before leaning forwards slightly. A serious look fell upon him. "This is a serious matter, Yuri. It isn't something you walk into blindly. But I know you won't let this go."

"Obviously." Flynn leaned back and looked at the ceiling. His eyes slid shut. Yuri had a strong sense of justice, he always had ever since they were small children. "Are you going to help me, or not?" But so did he.

"If we get in trouble, it was your idea."

"Isn't it always?"


End file.
